The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-20
DEANS BILL UNDER FIRE.
BRANTLEY OPPOSES SELLING THE
STATE ROAD.

STATE ROAD.
All Pending Disputes Concerning the
Property Should Be Settled Before
It's Sale is Considered-The Provis-
ions for Insuring the Payment of the
Purchase Money Declared Insult
fcient.
ATLANTA, GA, Aug. 19.-In the Senate
to-day the debate was continued on the
Dean bill Mr. Brantley, of the Third dis
trict, made a brilliant and forcible argu
ment against the bill. He regarded the
question as one of paramount Importance in
which the people of the whole State were
equally interested. Ii was a business mat
ter which should be handled in a practical
way. The building of the road was advo-
Gated by the greatest of Georgians, who
failed to discover that they were violating
the spirit of our institutions, and for forty
odd years the road has been part
of the policy of the State. He referred to
the radical change of position of Senator
Dean, who was elected on a platform OPP
posing the sale, but is now the introducer of
bill for the sale He conceded an honest
change of opinion, but insisted that the rea-
sons controlling Mr. Deans change would
not convince every one, nor indeed because
he changed did it follow that the people
had changed. The question of sale
is new one in Georgia, and 1T
would be hasty to pass the bill now. Mil
lions are involved The financial policy of
the State is involved. He thought a sale
under this bill would be bad policy. No Sc
curity from the purchasers is provided,
other than that the title remains in the
State, but possession passes to the buyers,
who have twenty-seven years i'll which to
paw He would not sell property on SINH
lar terms, and was unwilling that the State
should.
PROVISION AGAINST SPE CULATIoN.
Further, there is no provision against
speculation. The first purchasers may sell
again, and it may be sold again and again
and the State have no authority. 1t would
be greatly better to sell outright Mr..
Brantley objected, further, to the bill that
it did not fully and accurately describe the
property to be sold. The purchasers cannot
know what they are buying. They are re-
quired to pay large amount before hay
ing an opportunity to examine the proper
ty, and over two years before its delivery.
This reverses all rules of business. Again
what disposition is to be made of the pro
ceedss Where is the money to be placed2
The State cannot afford to take chances on
this great property, which is in a large
measure the basis of its credit. No provisions
is made for settlement of the question of
betterment. The State may not be able to
the bill it binds itself to de-
liver the property i'll the same
condition it is now. The bill proposes to
sell the real estate of the road, city lots in
Chattanooga and Atlanta. There is no
complete record of this property, neither as
to title nor value. There is not Senator
who knows the extent and value of the
taic nv in TaOnaCSa0 tba i'm
provements put on it by the lessees A
committee has been appointed to go to
Chattanooga and investigate, but it is pro-
posed to pass this bill in advance of their
report
THE CLAIM FOR BETTERMENTs.
Mr. Brantley discussed Mr.. Browns letter
on betterments, and said the question can
not be ignored when such man claims
that the lessees have right 60 wreck the
road, which has never been met or
answered. The State now has no security
from the lesSees and there ought TO be a
settlement of the betterment question be
fore an attempt is made to sell the road.
Mr.. Roberts, of the Fourteenth district,
favored the bill. He said there would be no
difficulty in giving sufficiently full de
scriptlon of the property to satisfy the pur-
chasers. As to the threat of the leSsees he
thought the State should act upon its con
victions and proceed regardless and in de
fiance of threats. Is it good financial policy
to keep this property when the income from
it does not pay the public debt INTEREST,"
The future rental of the road is merely
speculative. The value of the road
may be greatly deprecated by com
binations against it in tho next
few years. IL is not a sound or wise policy
for State to own road to the discrinina-
ton of its citizens. Her right to do so is
not denied, but it is an injury to the inter
ests of the citizens. The people on the Ma
rietta and North Georgia railroad are moro
clamorous for charter rights, which are de-
MED them for fear they will affect the State
road
Mr.. Roberts thought the present lease was
honeycombed with fraud. The Legislature
that passed the act did not treat it as a bust
ness proposition.
HAUNTED BY FRAUD.
Fraud will hang around this property
until it is sold. 1t was temptation that
made the Yazoo fraud, and there may be
other frauds exceeding it in turpitude ii the
temptation is not removed The threat TO
wreck this property comes from man the
State has greatly honored. Shall we stand
appalled, before this threat pending this
arguments The Senate then adjourned till
fO-m0rrOw